Rebuilding an Empire (TGE/Open)

[Madeline Kahoshi]

[member="Mirien Valdier"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Madeline was soon brought her personal estate, far from the chaos going on in the city. Guards everywhere, and more, she recognized the IIB uniform as well as ISB all over the place. It seemed that just about everyone that could have possibly been assigned to her were. Which was going to make life interesting for certain, for there would always be ears around her now, never alone. She sighed heavily, her tear stained face, as she tried to focus at the task at hand, but there was someone she wanted to see right now who was not present.

Turning to one of the IIB agents, she motioned him over to speak. "I need Directorate Chief Novar found and brought to me." The request didn't seem anything out of the ordinary to the agent or anyone else in the room, likely one of the few IIB higher-ups still alive and breathing. They just had no idea how much Madeline knew, and where the evening was going to end.

"You've three hours till you need to address the nation, Empress Kahoshi. Cue cards will be ready shortly for you to review." Some knowing coronation nothing more than a formality. It was she who was in charge of the Empire now. The only thing left to do before she could rightfully claim the title, was finding the Emperor's remains and laying him to rest. Or what little could be found at all given the blast.

"Understood." She said softly, heading off to her own private room, but not allowed in before a full sweep was done. Frustrating when she knew the truth and they did not nor would they ever. But another truth would be exposed today, it was only a matter of time. With a glance to her mirror she sighed, looking quite the mess. A tattered gown, tear stains still upon her skin, hair frizzed and mostly fallen down from all that had happened. For now she had time, time to bathe, rest, and wait. For things would be dealt with in her own way now. As she removed her clothes, changing into a full length robe, she started down the hall to the bath, but stopped one of her guards, "I want Miss Moira Skaldi found and brought to the estate as well. I have business with her to attend to soon." The plan starting to form in her mind.

Everything would depend upon what Miss Novar had to say.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

"Miss Skaldi, is it? Her Majesty immediately requires your presence and has summoned you to her estate. Please come with us." Moira had been moving away from the sight of the wrecked and broken Imperial Tower when she was greeted by a friendly pair of what she identified as IIB agents. Cold professionalism in their formal tone, polite enough so as not to offend, but with the icy firmness that showed that they spoke as representatives of the Imperial State. No doubt heavy blasters were discreetly hidden inside their trenchcoats.

Behind her chaos and pandaemonium still reigned, the tower a smouldering ruin. Screams of the wounded could still be heard as they cried out to the heavens, along with the roar of engines from ambulances and security speeders. News was travelling fast across Jar'kai. For now it was fear and desperation that was setting in, soon it would be anger. The people would cry out for blood and there was no doubt that the new Empress would have to deliver. Thrust into the political arena with a bang, she would have to prove herself.

Archangel Research and Design was always there to help. The ambulance with a batch of the heavily injured was already on its way. "Of course. Please take me there," she said softly, her voice utterly calm and so strongly at odds amidst the chaos that sought to engulf them.

"Follow us to our speeder. You will have to relinquish your weapons. Frisk her," the IIB officer who seemed to be in charge ordered one of his minions. Without a word of protest Moira handed over a small hold-out blaster, whereupon one of the officers scanned her with what appeared to be some sort of PDA-like device, though nothing would be confiscated because there was nothing for her to submit. After giving his superior officer a gesture that amounted to saying she was clean, Moira was led to the speeder and gestured to embark. Two heavily armoured stormtroopers were seated in the back, their purpose obvious, probably also armed with ion blasters, while an IIB agent sat next to her. Not that she particularly cared, she just observed. At least being summoned directly meant Moira would not have to waste time trying to secure an audience by going through the usual channels.

She had some rather concrete ideas of what would happen on Atrisia soon, having lived through such situations many a time. Likewise she also had ideas of what Madeline would need. Moira was only too eager to supply and was certain there would be an Atrisian market for what she had to offer. Supply and demand was the basis of any economy and she was a merchant of death. Tragedies were good news for her.

Within a moment the engines were powered up and the vehicle was brought up into the air, as thick clouds of smoke billowed up into the sky from the site of the disaster. The speeder shot through the sky and went on its way towards the imperial estate where the soon-to-be empress should be found.

 

[Mirien Valdier]

Mirien had been on her way to the Citadel, planning to be the last to leave. Knowing the majority of her family were already on their way elsewhere. Few would defy her orders, ever, knowing the consequences but also especially not when she was trusted to protect the best interests of them all. Even as far to give up her own life willingly for one of her own. That where she differed greatly from the man who ran the institution before she was given it after his passing. He had cared less about those under him. Though his rule just as strict.

In her own speeder, her comlink chirped, alerting her to an incoming call. Frowning she answered. "Novar."

"Ma'am, her majesty is requesting your presence at her estate. Immediately." Now this had the already paranoid Mirien even more so. But there was that small chance she was being called in since nearly all of the highest ranking IIB agents above her had been in the tower when it fell. Undoubtedly they might just trying to find who was left within the IIB, and who Director duties would fall to. But Mirien was not the hopeful, optimistic type. She was quite realistic about the Universe around them. The nation she lived in, only by the good graces of the now deceased Emperor. With all the hate around force users of late, she had her suspicions of what would occur within the soon to be crowned Empress's home.

Of course, she could have chose to run. Easily. But right now all traffic in and out would be heavily monitored, and getting off without notice or instant death would not be an easy task. Because if she was choosing to leave, to run, then it only proved she had something to hide in the eyes of anyone sent after her. And simply the truth was, if she didn't show soon they would come looking for her. Her tracker only making life easier for those who chased her. It was foolish in her eyes, and it might just buy time for the rest of her Inquisition to make it off planet without harm. They needed to be safe, so she would buy them whatever extra moments she could. Knowing it might make the difference between the life and death of many of them. And that alone, made it worth staying to find out what the heir wanted.

Turning around, her only choice but to go back to Jar'Kai, to the Empress. Nothing about the idea she liked, something said running was a safer option. Safer being a relative term. Madeline, she knew only of what the IIB and ISB files held on her. From the small amount of data allowed even view-able to her, this woman was unpredictable, sometimes skittish, plagued by anxiety attacks and had done the grand task of cloning an ancient force user who had joined her ranks among the Inquisitors. Brilliant by every definition possible with as many degrees as the scientist had acquired over the years. All of this told the Grand Inquisitor that she could not be trusted.

It took time enough to get back to the city, but eventually stopped at the gates of Madeline's lavish estate, perfectly fitting of her status as a princess. The Emperor's own standing guard along side far too many IIB and ISB agents for her liking. Granted it was for a good enough reason, but still. Left Mirien limited if all went wrong here tonight, for her.

"I'm expected." She said with a somber frown.

"Of course Miss Novar." After confirmation came, the gates opened letting her pass with her standard issue blaster upon her hip. Though under the circumstances knew likely would not be allowed in the room with the Empress with it, or the other weapon she kept hidden. The Emperor's own, well I suppose its Empress's own now with the power shift, they knew she a force user, and known to carry some form of saber with her at all times.

Once at the doors, taken through the quite traditional Atrisian home, soon led to a sitting room. Taking a pillowed seat on the floor, all she could do was wait now, and hoped fate would be kinder to her than what her instincts told her. Just as expected along came one of the guards for Madeline. "Directorate Chief, I apologize for the inconvenience but under the current circumstances, you'll have to relinquish all weapons before being permitted in the room with her majesty." No one was taking chances, trusting anyone here. Clearly her least of all. Many others in the house still with their weapons, wandering freely this just a small clue that was beginning to prove her paranoid theory right.

"Which includes the lightsaber you carry." That even more so. Everything screamed this was a bad situation. And knowing so little about the woman she was about to meet, concerned her greatly. Knowledge was power, and here she was at a complete disadvantage to the Noble woman. Not a feeling she liked in the least.

"Of course." After handing over her blaster, the dagger, the hold out and lastly she pulled the saber from it's secret hidden pocket along the seam of her pants handing them one by one to the guard. He then led her to to another room, a library of sorts and left there for the moment. Mirien paced nervously for a moment before taking a breath, calming herself and sinking into the safety net of the force. It was the one weapon they could not take from her so easily.

Patiently she waited before the door slid open, two of the Imperial guards standing with the Empress to be as the she entered. Having settled back into the identity of Rebecca Novar, she bowed respectfully as tradition required. "My deepest sympathies for your personal loss, M'lady. I know you both were close." Great sadness in her own expression, for he had saved her life more than once and felt indebted to repay that. Though it seemed she may never have the chance with every alarm bell going off in her mind within the force as the trio entered. Something wasn't right here and that, just further confirming her earlier thoughts. She'd been right to send her Inquisitors away. With luck all of them would be off world soon and far from here.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

Madeline, long since had bathed, changed, now dressed in black for their nation would all soon be mourning with her. Her eyes told of sadness and agony unexpressed, and bottled up for the time being. She was excepted to do great things, but there was a small personal matter she had to attend to first. "A pleasure to meet you in person, Miss Novar." If only this meeting could even be considered pleasurable with where it was about to go. "Or should I just call you Mirien Valdier? Or perhaps Grand Inquisitor? That is your true name and title, yes?" Her eyes piercing through the force user before her. The very one that had twisted and so burdened her cloned son, to the point he had disclosed a little of his true nature.

She did not wait for Mirien to even breathe much less reply to what was undoubtedly a shock. No one outside two people knew her true name, at least that held true until today. "Let me say this. I may not have had the security clearances to get what I needed, but I'm no fool. Given enough time I can do anything I set my mind to. Your identity, the reality of the Inquisition.... It was just the final piece to the puzzle after some suspicion. Then of all people, my dear loyal son, he told of it's existence and uses. It just took a few years, money in the right hands to get the entire picture. And now, I'm in a position where I can do something to change everything for the better." Had she known then, what she knew now ... She never would have cloned the force user, never. No, she would have gone through with her plans to help be the end of all of them everywhere. A project she figured would soon need to be dug out and revived.

"You were in charge of my son. To keep him safe, kind, good. The things he was made to do, destroyed him, twisted him, changed him till I no longer recognized the man I created." The sadness twisting to hatred as she went on, disgusted at the events that had brought her to this point. Never should she have to be asking this.

"I want to know why. I want to know what happened to him. What you did to him? Because it takes more than just an organization to do that, more than a job. More than killing others like you." She cocked her head a little to the side, looking over the woman before her. "Answer well, and your kind," The word said with a hiss, getting more noticeably angry by the moment. "may just survive this. I have been told you care of them like family, those monsters you created. So, choose your words wisely. Explain everything."

 

[Mirien Valdier]

If anyone or anything existed in the Universe that could possibly make Mirien utterly speechless, it was the words that had just left the heir's lips. Stunned to silence to hear her speak of so much. Of her own name of all things that had been buried so deep, even she could not find a trace of it a decade later. So many secrets the Empire itself had kept buried from some many yet the least expected person to know about it all was the anxiety ridden scientist Miss Kahoshi. Perhaps she'd given the woman far less credit than she deserved. Maybe she should have watched over her more, learned more before now. However there was nothing she could do about it now. The real question was how Madeline got a hold of that data, just her true name alone, she wanted to know. Though she just had the feeling the Empress wasn't in the mood to share.

For a long while all Mirien could do was stand there in complete absolute silence as she listened to the woman before her explain, though giving away very little true information as to how she came upon it. But the force user Madeline had cloned, had been the one to break the silence on the organization. Something told her she should have known better, than to allow him the leeway he was given. "Why do I have the feeling that no matter what words I speak here, wisely chosen or not, you'll not be pleased. And my family as you so quaintly put it will end up dead anyway?"

Maybe it was just something in her gut that had told her this all along, since the attack. If they had caught the terrorist responsible, she would have known by now, which left one more paranoid thought running through her mind. "While I feel you make this a personal matter between us both. Somehow I have a feeling you have a use for us which benefits yours needs as the new Empress, one who has much to prove. And it would not be by having us stick around. Hatred pouring off you like it is right now."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

"My apologies for...interrupting. I was unaware you were in conference, Your Majesty," Moira said so very calmly as she was ushered into the room. As if her enhanced mechanical hearing had not picked up on the words that had been spoken, the secrets that had been revealed as she was guided towards Doctor - or rather Empress - Kahoshi and 'Novar' - her true identity just revealed - after being thoroughly searched again, this time by the Empress' Own. As if she was not witnessing the start of the purge she knew to be inevitable. Human replica droids were masters of understatement.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

Her eyes narrowed upon Mirien as she spoke, displeased with the woman thus far. Though the Grand Inquisitor wasn't far off of her own personal thoughts. A disturbing feeling truly. "The matter is regardless personal. The other part, well ... it does serve less personal means and more national matters of state. Either way, Mirien you will speak. I know you are more than familiar with the IIB techniques, if you choose to.." Then mid-sentence the door opened and in walked her second guest of the evening,"Refuse me."

A small bit of a smirk on her lips as she glanced to Moria, and motioned for her to take a seat. "Welcome Miss Skaldi, no need to apologize, I believe you are right on time. Not disturbing anything at all." With the door still open, she motioned to one of the guards outside,"Have tea brought for our guests, please." With that the door then closed for a brief time before a tray of tea was brought to the room, set on the small table between herself and guardians and Mirien, and Moira.

"Now, why don't we all sit, and enjoy a polite, civil conversation." Her eyes on Mirien at that moment as she took a seat with her guards still standing alongside her."I believe you had some questions to answer Mirien."

"Miss Skaldi, there is a business matter that I'd like to discuss, just have this small matter to deal with before we can get to that." Herself acting all the polite host, though undoubtedly, still clearly angry but masking her tones well. "Something I believe we can both profit from." Then she returned her attention back to her biggest problem in the room. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes the questions, now would be the time to speak." Her glare ever so unforgiving, this matter something that she needed to put to rest.

 

[Cody Weadge]

Moving forward Cody carefully picked the blaster from the ground and removed the e-pack from it putting the blaster itself into his suit jacket. In exchanged he removed a pair of bindercuffs quickly putting them on the twi'lek's wrists. "I think we can agree that even if you did know something your answer would be the same. Come on, its bad form if a prisoner gets killed before the interrogation."

He was of course speaking of the panicked on lookers still streaming away from the building, and the building itself that was still on fire in places. Not exactly the safest place to have a discussion. Leading the prisoner, Cody headed to the nearest spaceport. For now the safest thing would be getting the prisoner into space until he could meet up with Mirien. In this mess, she was the one he trusted most.

[member="Tacitanya"]

 

[Beowoof]

If a prisoner gets killed before the interrogation... Well, that was incredibly consoling. What about after?

Her brow furrowed and her lekku twitched as the cuffs clamped around her wrists. She knew she should have bailed when the getting was good. Now she was bound for who-knows-where and seemed like the perfect scapegoat for this atrocity as everyone seemed to glance at her out of the corners of their eyes while passing by. This was not fair. Her sins did not warrant a death sentence.

"Let's make a deal," she rambled, "Who do I rat out to you in exchange for a quick exit?" She really had no one extremely interesting to tattle on, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and her current situation seemed adequately desperate.

[member="Cody Weadge"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I would appreciate that very much. My condolences for the personal loss you suffered," Moira said calmly, tone soft and polite as she took a seat. Of course, to be frank the human replica droid did not care either way, simply because she was incapable of it since that was not what she had been designed for. Something both Mirien and Madeline, the presumptive Empress, would know since they were aware of her true nature.

So the sympathies were an affectation, a part of the game. Much as Madeline playing the polite host even while questioning the woman she was about to purge. Moira had had her...suspicions. Now she had confirmation. An hour ago she had been eager to collaborate and plot with Mirien Valdier, but power had shifted and so she adjusted without a moment's hesitation. Not out of malice or spite, for she was likewise not programmed for that. In the game of thrones power was always shifting with the times, sometimes within moments. To her betrayal was a neutral word that carried no moral dimension.

Every ruler had to secure her power base and eliminate potential threats. Or rather, as in this case, provide the public with a threat they could focus their hatred on so that oneself could appear as the saviour. Moira ignored the biscuits but did sip at the tea. Something she was capable of since she was made to blend in, another affectation in this case. So she observed, an impassive, placid predator.

 

[Cody Weadge]

Cody stopped for a moment and turned to the prisoner. The look on his face said that he was evaluating his prisoner. It was not the kind of look that spoke of long lives for those under the gaze if he decided what he saw had little value. Given how well practiced the look was, well, it was one that Cody had used on more than one occasion. When he was not shooting worthless prisoners as a lesson to others at least.

"You can tell me who the man behind that mask is. Then once we verify that you have told us the truth, you're free to go. Until then," Cody said motioning toward the spaceport with his holdout pistol, "we keep going."

[member="Tacitanya"]

 

[Beowoof]

Well, I don't know how you expect me to know that. "I really have no clue," she insisted, honestly, though panic was increasingly evident in her voice. That look he gave her was freaky.

Frantically running through her final bartering options, she supposed that maybe she could 'help' somehow--at least, long enough to figure out a way to ditch the government folks. A few days in prison seemed inevitable at this moment, however. "So, you haven't found him yet," she spoke up once more as she was shoved along to wherever the secret base must be. Naturally he would have a secret spy base.

"I might know where he's hiding. If..." She clanked her binders together. "...You swear that I don't have to wear these after I tell."

[member="Cody Weadge"]

 

[Mirien Valdier]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Mirien could only glare for a moment with Moira now in the room, none of this was sitting well. Her threats, she knew could become far more than reality if the Empress truly wanted. Granted, there was a plan in all this, and for a moment she wondered how much Madeline truly knew. "You know, I once helped to protect you. Hide you... Kept you safe from harm." Not that, that simple little fact would save her here, this time.

A sigh followed as she resigned herself to sitting down with the pair, the tea before them but she had little intention of drinking it. Even knowing refusing was highly offensive, right now she trusted only herself. "As for your son as quaintly put it, I had little to do in his handling." She said truthfully, now seemed the time to be honest. "You have to understand, I may have set the mission, observed, but rarely was I in the field. Perhaps twice I can recount seeing him." Further more Mirien didn't feel like revealing her every secret at this moment, "Consider it that I were the ruler of a small little kingdom of people, I don't see everything."

For a long moment she fell silent, "I only knew when he came up missing, every lead was looked into, every trail followed and nothing was found. He has been assumed dead for some time. Or he found a way out of one hell of a system, designed to follow all members, at all times, in all things and in all places. Those are the only assumptions that can be made without a body." Mirien seemed deeply saddened by the thought of either. In this one moment, letting her emotions show and being unguarded in that respect, feeling that if she hid her own feelings, it would only deepen the already painful situation. "As for what twisted him, a manner of things could have done so. From seclusion, to interrogations, assassinations, truthfully I cannot say."

Leaning forwards she rubbed her forehead, trying to find some answer that she could give completely, "You'll find your new position gives you access to the files, perhaps you'll find the answers you seek there. But I cannot tell you why, why the changes, or what happened exactly in the end. I simply do not have the answers you so greatly desire. Perhaps if things were different and I knew the relation before hand, I'd have taken a more active role in his duties within my organization."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

One of the benefits of being a human replica droid was that you possessed a perhaps not infinite, but tremendously high degree of patience and such did not feel the urge to make yourself the centre of attention for the sake of it. As such Moira, having sipped at the tea politely offered to her by Madeline, soon to be Empress Kahoshi, remained silent and observed. She pondered for a brief moment whether the beverage offered Mirien had been spiked. There were drugs that could not only sedate, but make for a time cut off from the Force and someone with the scientific prowess of Madeline would undoubtedly be able to improve on the concept.

Doubtless the Empress' Own were ready to pounce like lions and remove the woman who until now had been Deputy Director. And, as Moira had suspected for quite some time and now found confirmed, a good deal more. The discussion about the Empress' 'son' intrigued her. Unless her information was really inaccurate, it could not be a biological one - and apparently he had been in Mirien's services. The supposition being that he had been a force-user, with little chance of error based on her calculations.

Assumed dead. Perhaps an euphemism for him having gone rogue? For if he had that would be the last thing to admit, not in this tense political climate. "

Consider that I were the ruler of a small little kingdom, I don't see everything."

True, and a lesson to be appreciated, even for a droid. Power passed so quickly. Once one had reached an elevated plateau and wielded seemingly absolute power over those beneath, the seeds for the fall were often already sown. Archangel sought to create a mechanical utopia, but in it not all machines would be equal. Only Moira, Maelion and Doll possessed free will...and the last one was still only newly initiated and as such not privy to all the secrets. Control was the means to survival. But chaos abhorred it and sought to tear it down wherever order was brought into being.

Thoughts ran through her mind as she sought to calculate just how many forcers Mirien could potentially command. It would have to be a small elite group to avoid detection by the public. Probably infiltrated in sensitive positions in the conventional Imperial command structure, the military, security police and such. There had been rumours in the past of those with...unusual powers disappearing at night and never being seen again. Emperor Palpatine had built his own hierarchy of force acolytes bound to his service, the darkside adepts, the Inquisitorius, though none powerful enough to challenge him. Fortunately the Imperials practiced force registration and as such the names would have to be on the list. All of them, for otherwise control could not be assured.

Control or, as in this case, purgation.

As vampires fed upon blood, Archangel fed upon chaos and destruction.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

Madeline's expression soured more and more as Mirien spoke her peace. For what she had been told of the woman, she took care of the Inquisitors like family. She was the one who would keep them safe, but yet here and now Maddie saw no proof of such. Not drinking the tea served, was just icing on the proverbial cake. "Yes, safe..." She sneered, "As if I could do any harm to myself when drugged into sedation and cooperation. It was not my choice to go into hiding, Akio made the decision for me." Clearly not something she was happy about. If she had her way, never would she have been in that situation in the first place. The Inquisitors had just made the experience all the more unpleasant.

Sighing once more, she slowly shook her head. "I suppose you did your job." Pausing, she looked directly over to Mirien, cold blue eyes meeting with the dark one's of the Grand Inquisitor. "Though, it is not enough to save the rest of your twisted little family."

Taking a sip from her own tea before setting it back down, "As much as I hate to do this, but it's the nature of the political situation. I'm sure you understand." Her eyes moved for Moria for a brief moment, "It's simple when it comes down to it. You have two choices, Mirien. One, you can leave here with your life, but nothing else. Exile." Madeline spoke with little emotion in her voice, as if she simply did not care. "Or you may stay and try to save the family you had. However, if you choose to stay, your life is forefit. I'll personally see to it that you never leave the planet alive." A faint smile crossed her lips, as she pondered what the woman before her would choose.

Not giving Mirien even a moment, she turned to Moira. "Now Miss Skaldi, I have a proposition for you. I have a small force user problem that I'd like to eradicate." The smirk on her lips couldn't be missed, clearly for show for Mirien. The Empress to be, wanted her to hear the conversation, intent on making all of this as unpleasant as possible for the former Grand Inquisitor. With a wave of her hand, one of her guards withdrew a datapad and passed it to Madeline. Flipping through it briefly she came to the force user registration list. "This," Quickly passing the datapad over to Moira, "Is a list of all known force users, their home address, and current positions within the Atrisia space. Should you choose to take on the job, I'm certain we can find a reasonable payment to satisfy both of us."

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Mirien Valdier"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

((We handwave the exact amount and just say it's a lot))

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

So the cat was out of the bag and the list was presented. Mirien was still there though sitting with them while the eradication of her kind was being planned. A cold and cruel act to be sure, something Moira could appreciate. What she could not appreciate was the fact that she was still in possession of her powers. It would have been far more logical and rational if she had been taken out of the equation before the decision was declared, though she had undoubtedly at least suspected all along that this would transpire.

Moira had seen on several occasions how volatile forcers could be, especially if driven into a corner. After all, she used to work for Siobhan Kerrigan, who if driven into a corner lashed out like a wild animal. An animal with the power to tear down buildings in a rage. Her observations of Mirien's powers were obviously limited to the engagement of Csilla, where she had seen her go into a rage at the sight of one of her minions being injured. This made the situation tactically uncomfortable. However, she had faced forcers before. Doubtless the Empress' Own had as well. Still it would be awkward if her prospective client got killed before she got to purge anyone and get paid for it.


In a terribly short moment the information on the datapad was absorbed by her and almost instantaneously transmitted to every single Archangel located in the city. Likewise a purely electronic transmission was sent to the Lightbringer, instructing it not to leave the system. Standard battle droids would remain on guard, the HRDs would return to the planet.


She did not leave Mirien out of her sight as she addressed the Empress. A vicious streak was something she could appreciate in an organic, but emotion blinded. "Archangel is up to the task of carrying out this assignment and accepts. We can deploy rapid response units of HRDs to carry out the purge quickly, efficiently and mercilessly in return for adequate remuneration. We shall require cooperation from your intelligence agencies and contingents of stormtroopers at our disposal for backup and to prevent force-users from slipping through the net. Are all force-users to be terminated on spot or do you require live prisoners for...'tribunals'?"


Show trials, as both of them would know. Moira had been running calculations since getting here and was certain she had a good idea of what was needed. Fortunately Archangel had deployed some of its units on the planet, though those had been busy gaining human material for processing amongst the heavily wounded.

They had a base set-up on 244 Core and thus would rapidly deploy a task force of HRDs for this task, all provided with the programming to terminate forces, likewise equipped with some of the finest anti-force equipment in the Galaxy. Likewise the 'Contruum Commando', currently on hold on after an assignment on Loronar, would be alerted. To ensure operational success, leaving nothing to chance, they would also deploy the new Legionnaire standard battle droid and the Decurion tank droid. The latter was essentially an upgraded droideka armed with bolters and a blaster cannon. Thus even as they spoke Archangel would be deploying. With Atrisia under lockdown no one would be able to leave the planet legally.

 

[Mirien Valdier]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]


Mirien could only watch, her lip twitching as her anger grew with the developing conversation. Of all the things she'd rather be dead than have to listen as they plotted the demise of all those she'd worked along side and trained over the years as she rose through the ranks of the powerful Inquisition.

A hint of helplessness crossed her expression as Madeline presented her "choices" If they could be called such. Neither one would do her any good at all. This was not according to the plan. Inquisitors had always been support for the Emperor or Empress to use as they desired. Cringing, she realized in that moment, it was a use. A pathetic sad grab for power and trust of the people, but it was a use none the less.

Slowly closing her eyes, she reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep breath. The message had gone out without a hitch. Her Inquisitors were not fools, and knew better than to dare disobey during such a tense situation. All of them felt something was up, a drastic change in the Force long before the attack unfolded.

Calming herself as much as possible given the circumstances, she glared at the heir bitterly. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She shook her head slowly, hard to fathom how such a quiet, seemingly timid woman could plot such horrors. "What would your cousin think of your actions?" She sighed heavily, "I can't believe that'd he'd ever approve of such genocide."

As much as she wanted to lash out and kill Madeline then and there for her plans, Mirien knew better. Knew that a single move against the soon to be Empress, with all the guards, and agents both Security and Intel, she'd never survive such a move. She may have been a Force user but she was far from invincible. Not only that, her views of an honorable death did not allow her to harm Madeline, who carried no weapon at all. Now if the Maddie did, well that would change everything.

Options were running thin, and there was little Mirien could do to change that. Right now, she simply needed to get out of Madeline's home alive. If she could just make it that far, she was certain there would be some way off the planet to escape the grasp of their new ruler and her plots for a grand purge of her own people, her own kind. A thought that had her stomach twisting in knots.

Patiently she waited for an opportunity to speak, she'd already done all she could for her people. Which left a single option open to her. "Exile it is then, your highness." Spoken with thinly veiled disdain. While it may have appeared as though she was choosing to be a coward, saving her own skin. In truth, with her warning to her Inquisitors, there was little else she could do here. If they hadn't left already, well ... that was not in her hands. Disobedience always meant death within the walls of the Citadel. Though this time not doled out so honorably, nor would it be by the Grand Inquisitors blade.

"That is if you are willing to let me leave this room at all." She added with an icy edge to her tone, waiting to be dismissed, if that was the case. Or she'd soon discover if the Atrisian noble had something else in mind.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

[member="Mirien Valdier"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Madeline's lips twisted into a smug smile as she listened to Moira. "Excellent, the Empire appreciates your help during this difficult time." She gave a small nod as the HRD before her continued on, "Of course, our intelligence agency and the stormtrooper corp will be at your disposal for the duration of the operation. Anything that we can do to help hasten an end to the hostilities that are bound to occur." To the last question, she paused for a moment, thinking of who she'd like to have left for show. "Save a few of the higher ups. They'll be quite useful given the political environment this is will create."

Hearing Mirien speak, she turned to her still smiling, "Yes, actually I am, if you must know." But soon she touched on a sore spot. "Don't speak of him!" She snapped back. "He has no say in the matter as he is dead. The choice is mine, and mine alone."

Part of her just wanted Mirien gone, dead and out of the way, but that was not how it was going to end. She might prove useful later on while serving the purpose of a goal for the nation to hunt, to look forward to ending in the end. Letting this one loose thread go, likely would prove to be helpful to her career. She scoffed when Mirien spoke again, "You really are the coward I thought you to be." Cold, bitter words for certain. Maddie was of the opinion that the dark woman was getting exactly what she deserved.

After a brief moment, she lifted her hand, motioning for Mirien to walk out the door. "Leave us. But remember Mirien, harm anyone on your way out, even so much as a scratch and you're life will end." Glancing to her guards, she sighed, "Make sure she is given her saber back, but nothing else. See that she is escorted all the way to the spaceport, and put on her personal ship. Never let her out of sight for a second." Then back to the Grand Inquisitior, "Don't make the mistake of returning, you won't like the results." With that, she would let her go. There was a plan, and a goal in mind with Mirien. It like many things would unfold in time. She turned to the guards one more time, for a final note. "Oh, and do be discreet. I'd rather the public not know we allowed her to leave.*

Her eyes still on Mirien as she listened to the Emperor's own behind her, speaking orders into a comlink for the Grand Inquisitor. She knew all too well the situation was tense, and if there was a moment that Valdier would choose to do something stupid, the time would be now. "Go with your life, while you can." In her own way, Madeline was being generous to give Mirien any chance at all.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

( double post )

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

Obviously the novel Nineteen-Eighty-Four had not been written in this reality, though perhaps there was an alternate version of it. Regardless one could perhaps draw comparison between the role Goldstein had played for the Party that ruled Oceania as a totalitarian surveilance state of total control and Mirien, which was ironic since she had until now been head of its force-based secret police. But in both cases the public could be provided with a figure to focus all their hatred on, a scapegoat for all the nation's ills, someone for the youth to be taught to revile and see as an example of why forcers were an abomination.

Only unconditional loyalty and love for their Benevolent Mother the Empress could protect them. Given the sort of regimes Moira had worked with, she might actually have already witnessed something like the Two-Minute Hate. So keeping her alive had her uses, even though part of Moira preferred the more straightforward variant of terminating her right away.

"I would suggest focusing the first phase of the operation upon the members of Ms Valdier's...organisation. Those that have not already fled the planet by now. They would have the force training and combat abilities to pose a threat, especially since they are embedded in the Imperial military and security apparatus. They can be called to their work stations and terminated swiftly if we focus our forces upon them. Those you require...alive can be presented to the public on trials," she tilted her head to the side slightly, a motion seemingly common to HRDs.

"I can mimic Ms Valdier's voice to facilitate their 'return to duty'." Of course, that would probably not be fool-proof if some of Mirien's minions sensed the changing tide, but it should work well enough. "Once they are dealt with, I would suggest expanding the remit of the operation to include the 'mundane' force-sensitives upon the planet. They would not have the same training and thus prove more manageable. If Your Majesty were to declare that...'for their own protection', to 'shield them against the understandable outrage' of the people all registered force-sensitives are to report to the authorities in their districts to be...relocated to 'safe zones' for the duration of the emergency, I predict great efficiency in resolving this problem in a rapid manner."

After all, it was quite likely that riots would break out. They would probably not even have to be instigated from above. Force-sensitives had always been a barely tolerated minority on Atrisia. Hate crimes and attacks had actually increased after force-registration had become a reality. Add to that the recent detonation of an anti-matter bomb by a terrorist in Jar'kai that had killed thousands and now today's calamity, Moira would be surprised if the city did not explode.

"If this finds your agreement we shall deploy once my forces have landed. There's one last request I would make. I understand you are in possession of a...very refined drop pod. I would request that one be given to us as part of our payment, the cost to be subtracted from the general remuneration."